Talented Matamata mare Underthemoonlight is on target in an attempt to successfully defend her Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate (1200m) crown at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The El Hermano mare completed a double 12 months ago when following up her win in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) with a fresh-up victory in the Foxbridge Plate a couple of months later and trainer Karyn McQuade is adopting the same approach this year.

After a win in an open 1400m event at Te Rapa on June 9, Underthemoonlight rounded off the season with a fifth in the Tauranga Classic (1400m)a fortnight later then was purposely freshened for a repeat bid on the Foxbridge Plate.

“She has been working well and she’s all set to run in the Foxbridge Plate again,” McQuade said.

“We’ll follow the same path as last year with the Foxbridge then the Tarzino Trophy, but I don’t think we’ll run her in the Windsor Park Plate at Hastings like we did last year.

“It was a last-minute decision last year and, though she went well, I don’t think the mile (1600m) suits her. She is better up to 1400m.”

Underthemoonlight beat Close Up in last year’s Foxbridge Plate then ran on strongly for third to the Cambridge galloper in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings before finishing fourth to Gingernuts in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m).

Underthemoonlight has done well for McQuade and her husband, Hamish, who bred and also share in racing her. She has recorded six wins and 17 placings from 28 starts and has earned more than $314,000 in prizemoney.

“It’s just a shame she hasn’t got a Group One by now,” McQuade said. “Hopefully she gets one this time.”

Underthemoonlight’s wins have been equally divided between slow and heavy tracks, but she has also been placed on dead footing.“She’s not a true wet-tracker now,” McQuade said.

At seven years of age, Underthemoonlight is nearing time to be put to stud, but no decision has yet been made.

“We’ve talked about it, but that’s all so far,” McQuade said.

McQuade has no firm plans for Underthemoonlight beyond the Tarzino Trophy. After her second run at the Hawke’s Bay carnival last year she finished third at Hawera in the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders Stakes (1400m), the feature she had won a year earlier.

McQuade again has the Hawera feature marked down this year, but for stablemate Shellez Ace instead of Underthemoonlight.

“We’re hoping Shellez Ace can step up and take Underthemoonlight’s place when she is retired,” McQuade said.

“In all her races the form stacks up around her and she’s improving.”

A five-year-old daughter of Swiss Ace also bred and co-raced by the McQuades, Shellez Ace has won twice from three starts this campaign and her latest win, at Rotorua over 1400m on July 28, was her fourth success from 14 starts.

“She’ll run at Taranaki next in a (1300m) sprint later this month then go to Hawera,” McQuade said.